Turmeric is a flowering plant of the ginger
family, native to South Asia and prized for
its roots. These roots are commonly boiled
in tea or finely ground to produce turmeric
powder, a spice that is a staple of Indian
cuisine (close in taste to saffron).

Beyond adding flavor to dishes, turmeric is
also known to have medicinal qualities, both
when consumed and when applied topically to
the skin. It has long been used as a beauty
aid and is not only effective for acne
relief, but according to recent studies may
even help ward off afflictions as serious as
cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Just a
few ways turmeric
can improve your skin and overall health

While turmeric powder is no miracle cure, it
packs a lot of benefits that can make life
easier for acne sufferers. First of all, it
helps cool the skin when applied directly
and also aids in reducing inflammation from
the inside. Taken orally, this effect is so
strong that many recommend it for relieving
joint pain as well. It has natural
antibacterial and antifungal properties
(again, in both uses), helps detoxify the
body and cleanse the liver (when taken
internally), acts as a disinfectant when
applied to wounds and stimulates faster
tissue repair.

So which way should you use turmeric? Both
applications are effective. However, if
you're dealing with body acne or looking to
protect more than just your skin, taking it
orally is the way to go. Turmeric is largely
safe either way, but keep in mind one side
effect: if you have pale skin and apply the
powder in a topical mixture, there is a
chance it may dye your skin yellow.
This doesn't happen for everyone, and
turmeric is actually valued for helping to
even your skin tone, but if you should end
up with yellowish splotches on your skin
afterward, try dabbing some oil on a cotton
ball and gently rubbing it off. Don't panic
or scrub too hard with typical cleansers, as
the dye will naturally fade with time.

One way to avoid this effect is to use
curcumin instead. Curcumin is the
primary active ingredient in turmeric. When
extracted, it doesn't quite deliver all the
same benefits as the original root. However,
while I'd recommend sticking with turmeric
for anything you plan to ingest, curcumin's
lower potency may be a worthwhile tradeoff
in topical remedies since it will not dye
your skin.

Homemade
turmeric masks
and lotions

Most of the acne home remedies that
incorporate turmeric use it as a thickening
agent in facial masks or lotions intended to
kill bacteria in your pores and alleviate
redness and swelling. These uses often give
faster results than taking turmeric
internally, but keep in mind that they
target current acne and cannot prevent
future breakouts.

Mask Recipe:
Mix 2 parts yogurt with 1 part turmeric
powder and 1 part honey.
This thick and sticky combination is easy to
apply your face and should be left on for
the usual 15 minutes before rinsing off. All
the ingredients are great for combating
irritation and infections, with an emphasis
on moisturizing and soothing the skin. Just
don't leave it on for too long.

Lotion Recipe:
Start with turmeric powder and mix in equal
parts warm milk and tea.
You can decide how dense you want the lotion
to be (it starts out as a thick paste) by
how much milk and/or tea you use (using both
is optional). Add the liquid slowly and
stir. Warm whole milk works best, and you
can use your choice of green/black/white
tea. Massage the lotion into your face for a
few minutes and rinse. This recipe combines
the antibacterial punch of a good acne
cleanser with skin-nurturing vitamins and
minerals.

Prevent
acne by drinking turmeric
tea
or taking turmeric
supplements

While it's usually found as a powder at most
grocery stores, you can also purchase raw
turmeric roots. These can literally be
chewed on for medicinal effects (just slice
the outer skin off first), but many prefer
to brew them in tea. Similar to
burdock root tea, this slightly
peppery concoction delivers powerful
acne-fighting antioxidants to your body and
helps purify you from the inside-out. Adding
a bit of honey and lemon juice is probably a
good idea to make the tea more enjoyable.
Note that you can use turmeric powder mixed
with hot water if you prefer, although the
bold yellow color and strong flavor of the
resulting drink may scare some away.

If you want to skip the taste altogether,
there's always supplements. Turmeric
capsules are also effective against acne
(although you may have to up the dosage
since the turmeric dissolved in tea enters
your bloodstream at a higher rate). Most
regimens call for a minimum of 2,000 mg per
day. Note that supplementing with turmeric
is not a good idea if you are prone to
kidney stones due to its high oxalate
content.

In addition to these methods, there's always
the traditional way of digesting turmeric:
by cooking with it. Get yourself an
Indian cookbook and you'll find plenty of
great recipes that incorporate this
versatile spice.
Just make sure to add some black pepper!
Black pepper (black pepper extract or
peperine on supplement labels) aids the body
in absorbing turmeric (which is otherwise
difficult to absorb), ensuring you get the
full effect.